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PAUSE. REFLECT. GIVE THAN KS . DISCOVER TH E CO M MU N IT Y PRAYER TRAIL N OV E M B E R 2 02 6

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LIFESTYLE LETTER

A Season of Gratitude There is something special about being welcomed into a community and that is exactly how I feel stepping into this role as the new publisher of Stone Oak City Lifestyle. (Actually, there are four of us, but that's a story for another season...stay tuned!) As I thought about what I wanted to say in my very first issue, the word that kept coming to mind was thankful. Thankful for the opportunity to be here. Thankful for the families, businesses, organizations, and people who make Stone Oak such a special place to call home. Thankful for the stories that remind us that true luxury isn't simply about what we have, it’s about the people we get to share life with. Our hope for Stone Oak City Lifestyle is to celebrate the very best of this community while going a little deeper. We want to introduce you to the people behind the businesses, highlight those who are making a difference, celebrate local traditions, and tell stories that make you feel connected to the place you live. Because community is built through relationships. As a wife, a mom, and someone who cares deeply about faith, family, and serving others, I believe some of the greatest stories aren't always the loudest ones. They are found in the neighbor who shows up, the business owner who pours their heart into their work, the organization caring for someone in need, and the families creating traditions that will be remembered for generations. Those are the stories I want us to tell. So, as we begin this new chapter of Stone Oak City Lifestyle, my invitation to you is simple: come be part of it. Tell us about the people and places that make you grateful to live here. Introduce us to the businesses you love, the people who've built them. Share the traditions that matter to your family. Help us continue building a magazine that truly reflects this community. Thank you for welcoming us, for welcoming me. Here's to celebrating Stone Oak and all there is to be thankful for.

November 2026 PUBLISHER

Stephanie West | stephanie.west@citylifestyle.com E D I TO R

Chelsea Humphreys | chelsea.humphreys@ citylifestyle.com S O C I AL M E D I A C O O R D I N ATO R

Christina Garcia | christina@stylesavvysocials.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Lisa Zambrano, Erin Lyons, Caroline Heiberg C O N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R AP H E R

Nichey Brown

Corporate Team CEO Steven Schowengerdt President Matthew Perry CRO Jamie Pentz CoS Janeane Thompson AD DESIGNER Zach Miller LAYOUT DESIGNER Lillian Gibbs QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Anna Minnick

With gratitude, S T E P H A N I E W E S T, P U B L I S H E R @ S T O N E O A KC I T Y L I F E S T Y L E

Learn how to start your own publication at CityLifestyle.com//Franchise. Proverbs 3:5-6 Stone Oak City Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Stone Oak area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle

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L I F E ST Y LE LE T T E R

Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Stone Oak City Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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inside the issue NOVE M B E R 2 0 2 6 | TH ANK F U L

10 Featured

20 24

Print Prestige Meets Digital Power.

WHY CHOOSE BETWEEN PRESTIGE AND PLACEMENT?

Departments

Beyond The Bell

The red kettles disappear after Christmas. The work they make possible in San Antonio doesn’t.

Dressed for What’s Next

San Antonio Threads is helping teens move forward with confidence, one outfit at a time.

A Different Kind of Victory

Lifestyle Letter

City Scene

Business Monthly

Must See LOCAL SERVICES

Outdoor Adventure HEALTH + WELLNESS

How To LIFE + CULTURE

Giving Back LOCAL SERVICES

Local Limelight LIFE + CULTURE

Inspired By LIFE + CULTURE

Eat Right FOOD + BEVERAGE

Events

Seasonal Setups EVENT PLANNING + SERVICES

How a Spring Branch racing community is giving veterans a new team and a renewed purpose.

On the Cover Tucked behind Stone Oak Church, the Community Prayer Trail offers a quiet place to slow down, reflect and make room for gratitude. Photography: Caroline Heiberg

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NOVEMBER 2026

city scene WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN

LOVECHELSEAOFFICIAL

DOM WEST

5 KEILA WEST KEILA WEST

7 6

KEILA WEST

NICK WEST

1: Trainer Jesus at Stone Oak's Rumble cooling down the class with a yoga pose. 2: Sunset drinks hit differently at Elsewhere Too, one of San Antonio’s most colorful hangouts. 3: Owners of Autumn Light Books sharing their favorite reads at Stone Oak Market Days. 4: Shoppers gather with Kia Tays Accents at Stone Oak Market Days. 5: Owner and creator of Petal Wax Candle Co. displays boutique soaps and candles for sale. 6: Autumn Light Books adds a personal touch, attaching hand-written notes to their recommended favorites. 7: Enjoying a specialty fall coffee at Lova Cafe after a delectable crepe for brunch.

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C I T Y SC E N E

NOVEMBER 2026

business monthly A R O U N D U P O F N E W S F R O M LO C A L B U S I N E S S E S

Climbing Higher At Armadillo Boulders, climbing is only part of the fun. The locally owned gym brings San Antonio’s climbing community together through bouldering, classes, youth programs and events like its Summer Swolstice Boulder League. At the Stone Oak location, climbers of all experience levels can tackle more than 110 boulder problems, with new challenges added weekly. Whether you’re experienced or trying it for the first time, there’s always another wall waiting. armadilloboulders.com

Made by Hand, Made to Shine Mystic Angel Creations has been turning a love of jewelry into wearable art since 2001. This San Antonio mother daughter business creates handcrafted pieces using natural stones, artisan glass, Austrian crystals and vintage elements, with each design made by hand. From statement jewelry to one of a kind gifts, their work combines color, texture and plenty of personality. Over the years, their distinctive designs have even earned attention from local publications and national television.

Seven Years In, Team One Luxury Events Still Puts Clients First For Joey and Katie Medellin, seven years hasn’t changed the formula: listen first, plan second. Known for wedding planning across Texas and now expanding into Florida, Team One Luxury Events has also grown its charter division, offering wine tours and executive transportation. Through every expansion, the approach has stayed the same: treat every event and every ride as personal, not transactional. Clients don’t just get a vendor. They get a team invested in making sure the day goes right.

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THE RED KETTLES DISAPPEAR AFTER CHRISTMAS. THE WORK T H E Y M A K E P O S S I B L E I N S A N A N T O N I O D O E S N ’ T. ARTICLE BY LISA ZAMBRANO

BEYOND

THE

BELL

The shoes made her faster. At least that’s what one little girl believed when she walked out of The Salvation Army’s Shoe In event wearing her brand new pair. Rebecca Mayberry, Director of Development for The Salvation Army of San Antonio, remembers watching her leave. The girl was so excited about her new shoes that she wore

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them out of the building, along with the school supplies she had received that day. She was sure she could jump higher and run faster now. Maybe she could. The Shoe In program provided shoes, school supplies and hygiene products to 2,004 school aged children. That number tells you how big the program is. The little girl tells you why it matters. And she is one very small piece of what The Salvation Army is doing in San Antonio. Most of us probably know the organization from Christmas. We know the red kettles and the bells outside the stores we visit during the holidays. We know Angel Tree. Even if we have never needed one of its programs, we recognize the uniform. What happens after Christmas is less visible. The Salvation Army has been serving San Antonio for nearly 140 years. Today, its local work includes emergency shelters for women, men and families, a youth center, food assistance and programs supporting veterans and seniors. At any given time, around 50 children are living in its shelters. That number stopped me. These are children who, Mayberry says, would otherwise have nowhere else to go. It also points to something she wishes more people understood about the people who ask The Salvation Army for help. The assumption is often that its services are primarily for people experiencing chronic homelessness. That simply isn’t who everyone walking through the door is. Some are families dealing with a temporary crisis. Veterans coming for rental or utility assistance that can help them remain housed. Seniors living on fixed incomes are increasingly relying on food assistance because inflation has outpaced what they have coming in each month. That means a lot of the work happens before someone loses everything. A utility payment may not sound dramatic, but it can keep the lights on while a veteran gets through a difficult month. Food assistance can take one expense off the plate for a senior whose budget no longer stretches far enough. Affordable child care can give a CONTINUED >

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parent somewhere safe for their child to be while they work. The Peacock Youth Center is part of that picture. It provides affordable after school care where children receive academic, spiritual and emotional support. When school is out for the summer, the center offers care for school aged children with sports, arts, team building and leadership activities. None of that has much to do with a bell. Neither do 49,728 nights of shelter. That is the number of nights provided through the Pathway of Hope shelters. Angel Tree provides Christmas gifts and basic necessities to 6,000 children and seniors. During a local disaster response, The Salvation Army can provide 1,500 meals a day. Its food pantry hands out sack lunches, food boxes and emergency food bags throughout the year. The numbers are enormous, and honestly, 49,728 nights of shelter is difficult to picture. A single night is easier. It is knowing where your children are going to sleep before you put them to bed. And that is where the red kettle comes back in. Money donated to the Red Kettle campaign in our area stays here, supporting programs in Bexar and Comal Counties. The campaign is The Salvation Army’s largest fundraiser of the year, which means those few weeks of very visible fundraising help pay for work most of us will never see happening during the other months. The bell may be seasonal. The need it funds isn’t. It’s also worth knowing that the people receiving that help aren’t some abstract group living somewhere else. They live here. A family can be doing fine until suddenly they aren’t. Maybe rent goes up. Maybe hours at work go down. The grocery bill that was manageable a year ago stops being manageable. A car repair lands in the same month as an unexpected medical bill. Rebecca’s answers made me think about how little distance there can be between having enough and needing somebody to help you get through a month.

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That’s why the quieter parts of this work matter so much. Keeping someone housed isn’t as visible as moving them into a shelter after they have lost their home. Helping with groceries isn’t a grand gesture. After school care probably isn’t what most of us picture when we think about charitable giving. But if you are the person who needs one of those things, it can change everything about that week. And there is something reassuring about knowing those resources exist before you ever need them. Most people don’t plan to need a food pantry, rental assistance or an emergency shelter. You don’t put “temporary financial crisis” on the family calendar. Life just happens, sometimes quickly and sometimes expensively. That may be one of the most important reasons to support organizations like this while things are going well in our own lives. We are helping build the kind of community we would want waiting for us, our parents, our children or someone we love if life ever looked very different than it does today. The good news for anyone reading this and wondering what they can actually do is that writing a check isn’t the only answer. Volunteers prepare meals, sort donations, work in shelters and food pantries and support youth programs. During the holidays, volunteers are needed for both the Red Kettle campaign and Angel Tree. People with specific professional skills can also help through tutoring, mentorship, counseling and operational support. There are easy ways to make it a family project, too. Organize a food, hygiene or school supply drive. Choose an Angel Tree tag and let your children help shop for another child. Volunteer together. Put something in the kettle and tell them where that money is going. Schools and businesses can organize drives or volunteer as groups as well. There was one more thing in Mayberry’s answers that I didn’t know. All Salvation Army officers are ordained pastors. In addition to running programs and overseeing operations, they provide spiritual guidance, counseling and support to the people they serve. For the organization, meeting someone’s immediate physical need is only part of caring for the person who came through the door. Mayberry was asked to complete one sentence for this story: People think The Salvation Army is ________, but what I wish they knew is ________. Her first answer was “a Christmas organization or holiday charity.” I think a lot of us would have filled in that blank the same way. But the second half is everything we don’t see. The shelters for women, men and families. The 50 children who

may be sleeping there tonight. The veteran who needs enough help to remain in his home. The senior picking up food. The parent dropping a child at the Peacock Youth Center. The 2,004 kids who started school with new shoes and supplies. Christmas will come and go. The kettles will eventually disappear from the front of the stores and we’ll stop hearing the bells. The shelters will still be open. So when you hear that bell this year, give the dollar if you can. Grab an Angel Tree tag. Volunteer for an afternoon. Let your kids be part of it. It doesn’t have to be enormous to matter. We already know that. There’s a little girl somewhere in San Antonio who got a pair of shoes and walked out believing she could run faster. I’m not going to be the one to tell her she couldn’t!

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THE One-Hour VACATION A short trail in Stone Oak offers a different way to think about getting away ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLINE HEIBERG

“I just need a good vacation.” It is an easy thing to say at the end of the long week, usually with a destination far from home in mind. But some of what people hope to find on vacation might be found much closer to home. A vacation offers permission to step away from the usual demands and embark on something new, emerging refreshed. That permission does not require a plane ticket or even a full day off. Stone Oak Church Community Prayer Trail offers a mini version of that escape; a change of scenery, a secluded wooded path in the middle of a bustling city, and a moment of peaceful reflection in the middle of a busy week. Go early and there may be no one else on the trail. Red mulch lines the earthy path beneath shady trees. Cactus grows beside the trail, a prickly reminder that this small patch of woods is still in San Antonio. Two birds call back and forth above the brush, deep enough in their exchange that a person beneath them can feel like an eavesdropper. Something rustles closer to the ground. For a few minutes, there is nothing more pressing to do than listen. The trail is unpaved, with slight changes in elevation and several possible routes. At roughly a quarter mile long, the walking distance is manageable for a beginner, and the route is short enough that stopping does not feel like an interruption. Prayer stones, benches and prompts placed along the way give visitors places to pause before deciding where to go next. A visitor might stop at one message, carry it around a bend and encounter another a little farther on. Prompts about hope, joy and priorities offer direction much as guided meditation does.

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Each introduces a thought and leaves room to consider it before moving to the next. Here, the sequence unfolds while on foot. The time between prompts can be spent listening to birds, watching the path or its visitors, or considering what the last message brought to mind. Anyone who would rather sit with a single thought can find a bench and let the rest of the trail wait. That freedom is part of the appeal of a short route. Take the next turn or double back? Read every prompt or stay with the one that matters today? With only an hour, the temptation may be to make every minute count. CONTINUED > NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / STO N E OA K

The trail suggests a more generous measure; an hour is well spent when there is time to choose what deserves attention. A longer hike often comes with a destination or distance to cover. At the prayer trail, turning back is just another way to walk it. Visitors can take one route, retrace a favorite stretch or spend most of the hour seated. The benches and stops give the path more to offer than its mileage suggests. Creating it required a much larger investment of time. Reagan High School students, led first by Nathan Kopel and later by Art Suarez, joined Stone Oak Church volunteers in clearing brush from the land behind the church. Sonterra Property Owners Association donated a cross and two picnic tables. Their work opened the space as a trail the church invites the community to use for prayer and reflection. A vacation may still be in order. But on an ordinary day, an hour is enough to follow an unfamiliar path close to home, overhear a conversation between two birds and return feeling a little more refreshed. The SOC Community Prayer Trail is behind Stone Oak Church at 20024 Crescent Oaks in San Antonio. It is open from sunrise to sunset.

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Before You Go The prayer trail is a short, shaded walk on an unpaved surface, with slight elevation changes and more than one route. Wear shoes you would choose for a dirt path. Bring water; even in the shade, the Texas sun is strong. If you prefer a quieter visit, try going early. There is no need to plan a full itinerary for the hour. Walk until a prompt catches your attention, take a seat and stay as long as you like. Because the trail is short, you can double back or try another route and still have time before heading home.

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C I T Y L I FEST Y L E G I V ES BAC K

GIVING TOGETHER A Community That Shows Up

Every year, City Lifestyle sends checks to hundreds of families in need across the country through our annual Giving Campaign and our nonprofit arm, Kingdom Building Foundation. But none of it would be possible without you. We can only help the people we know about, and

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that’s where our readers come in. If you know someone quietly struggling, whether it’s a single parent, a senior citizen, or a family facing something they never saw coming, we want to hear their story. Nominations are what make this whole campaign possible.

We provided a chair lift for a teenager paralyzed in a gymnastics accident so she could move freely through her own home again. We helped a child who lost an eye to cancer get the prosthetic because insurance wouldn’t cover it. We covered dental work for a man who needed his smile back just to walk into a job interview. We got heat turned back on for a family who had spent part of the winter without it. We helped a family keep up with bills while a husband and father fought pancreatic cancer, and we helped another family cover medical expenses after the unimaginable loss of a child. These are just a few examples of some of the hundreds of individuals that have been helped through nominations from readers like you. None of it happens without someone noticing first and speaking up. "We don't just send checks," says Steven Schowengerdt, CEO and founder of City Lifestyle.

“We send a message: You are seen, you are loved, and you are not forgotten.” Together with City Lifestyle President Matthew Perry, Steven has helped shape this into a tradition that goes far beyond the holiday season. "This is about community," Matthew says. "We believe we've been blessed, so now we get to be a blessing." Often, the person making the nomination gets just as much out of the experience as the recipient. There's something powerful about being part of the reason someone else's burden got lighter, especially when that need might have otherwise gone unnoticed. The campaign is completely confidential. No names are ever shared or publicized, and nominating someone is as simple as telling us their story. We are looking for those in our communities who fall between the cracks of getting help, and together as a community, we can meet those needs.

Nominations open November 1st and close December 3rd. To nominate someone in your community, follow @CityLifestyle on Instagram and find the form in our bio, or visit KingdomBuildingFoundation.org.

This season, giving starts with you. Let's do it together. Nominate someone in need today.

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DR ESSED FOR W H AT ’ S NEXT

ARTICLE BY ERIN LYONS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICHEY BROWN

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SAN ANTONIO THREADS IS HELPING TEENS MOVE FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE, ONE OUTFIT AT A TIME.

As a Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA) volunteer, Cathy Hamilton noticed children’s shoes falling apart and jackets missing in the winter. One kid described digging through boxes of dirty, decades-old clothing, hoping never to have to do it again. For a while, Cathy thought, How can this be ok? Everyone knows that’s how these kids are getting their clothes. Why isn’t anyone saying something? Feeling strongly that “Everyone deserves something new to wear,” Cathy realized she needed a better way to get them proper clothing. Before starting San Antonio Threads 10 years ago, Cathy spent a year researching and calling clothing closets in other states to learn how they worked. Cathy wanted kids to have a typical shopping experience, with racks full of new clothing and outfits on mannequins. After getting enough donations through companies, non-profits, and the community, Threads began serving 25-50 shoppers a month, ages 12-21. The shoppers are in (or have recently aged out of) foster care, are experiencing homelessness, are survivors of trafficking, or lack access to a district-sponsored clothing closet. Adults familiar with the teenager’s situation can fill out an application to shop at Threads. Organizations like Haven for Hope can also refer teens. After three years, Threads started seeing 300-500 shoppers a month. These days, their busiest months are June-August, for back-to-school shopping. Cathy reported that about 3,000 kids shopped at Threads this summer. Threads fills the store with brand-new apparel in various ways. Companies like Good360 help Threads purchase name-brand items at a steep discount. Every year, local Vans stores donate about 1,300 pairs of returned shoes in new condition. Bombas has provided free socks for the last seven years. Ross and HEB CONTINUED >

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contribute gift cards, and local businesses and schools also host clothing drives that help fill Threads with new items. Cathy said that most teens are shy when they first walk into Threads, so volunteers gently guide them through the shopping experience. “It might be on their worst day. Sometimes they’ve just been removed from their home.” Those are the ones Cathy likes shopping with the most. She tells them, “This is a safe place, and we’re going to have a good time.” Before they start shopping, they fill a backpack with hygiene items like deodorant and hairbrushes. Then they go to the clothing area, set up like a typical department store. They pick out two full outfits, including two tops, two bottoms, one jacket, one package of underwear, one package of socks, and one pair of shoes. Girls also shop for bras, and accessories like makeup, jewelry, hats, and belts are available. Cathy wants their experience to feel uplifting. “New clothes give them confidence and help them feel comfortable. When you look and feel good, you do everything better.” By the time they leave, Cathy sees them standing taller, usually smiling. When shoppers ask Cathy how she started Threads, and she tells them the community helped, they often express surprise that people care about them. “There’s a misconception that teens in foster care have done something to deserve it, and that’s not true. These teens need us. They’re going to be our leaders, and if we can show them some compassion and that the community cares about them, things can change.” Foster parents have reported that the teens are excited to go back to school in their new clothes. “These kids have experienced trauma, and they need appropriate clothing to go to school and make it to the next step. It makes an amazing difference.” Cathy’s favorite moments are when shoppers reach out to her with life updates. She’s heard from kids who got jobs after wearing Threads clothes to their interview. “Those clothes gave them the confidence to go into the interview and answer those questions and get the job.” Threads has also provided certain items by request, like work boots for a construction job or a chef’s apron for culinary school. Cathy loves that Threads shoppers know they have a place to go where they can ask for help. San Antonio Threads is run mostly by volunteers. People can sign up through their website to help the shoppers, stock the store, or unpack boxes. Monetary donations, gift cards, and new clothing items are always needed. Looking ahead, Cathy hopes to continue serving as many San Antonio teenagers as possible. Ten years after starting Threads, she now works collaboratively with other clothing closets that have since opened, and she wants everyone to know they can do something good and make a difference. “Nothing’s better than seeing the kids, giving them a smile, and letting them know it’s going to be ok. Maybe not today, but it’ll get better. Hopefully it encourages them.”

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“ W H E N YOU L O OK A N D FEEL GOOD, Y O U D O E V E R YT H I NG B E T T E R .”

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ARTICLE BY LORI NAUGHTON

A Different Kind of Victory How a Spring Branch racing community is giving veterans a new team and a renewed purpose. For Chris Carroll, racing runs in the family. His father served in the Navy, and Melanie Carroll’s grandfather also served in the Navy. Chris has spent more than three decades around race cars. Yet the work that matters most to him today is not measured in laps or trophies. It happens when a veteran joins a team and discovers a renewed sense of purpose. That is the idea behind CWR Warriors, a Spring Branch nonprofit that welcomes military veterans into motorsports through hands-on work, race-day roles and time spent alongside others. Veterans can help prepare cars, work with the pit crew or lend their talents to the organization’s everyday activities. Their families are welcome to be part of the experience, too.

A NEW REASON TO RACE

Chris started racing 32 years ago, building on a love of the sport that began when he was young. After winning a championship at I-37 Speedway, he decided during a 2020 trip to Cozumel that it was time to retire. The decision did not last. He still loved racing, but wanted the time and effort it demanded to mean something different. With fellow CWR Warriors founder Jonathan Knox, a military veteran, Chris began developing a way to put the race team to work for people who had served. Chris and Melanie care deeply about the people who join the organization, but they would rather the spotlight stay on the veterans and the community supporting them. “Racing is the focal point and reason to get them here,” Chris says. Once someone arrives, there is a car to work on, a job to do and a group of people to work beside. His hope is to see veterans become part of every race team, with opportunities for spouses and children to share in the experience as well.

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HELP THAT REACHES BEYOND THE TRACK

The relationships built through CWR Warriors do not end when the race is over. Chris recalls a veteran whose truck broke down while he was in rehabilitation. Members of the organization arranged for the repairs so he would have reliable transportation when he completed the program. A working truck may seem far removed from a race car. To this team, it was another way to help a neighbor take the next step. Another veteran CWR Warriors helped went on to start the SA Outlaws sled hockey team. The team held its first event last month, and CWR Warriors is now a sponsor. The two stories are distinct, but both show how support can take different forms: meeting an immediate need, then helping new opportunities grow within the community. That practical care depends on a larger circle of veterans, volunteers, local businesses and donors. In the shop and at the track, people can contribute their skills, learn something new and become part of a group with a shared goal.

A THANKSGIVING INVITATION

This season of gratitude, CWR Warriors is inviting neighbors to spend a day together in support of local veterans. Its November 21 Veterans Celebration and Car and Bike Show in Spring Branch will bring classic vehicles, music, food and community supporters together. A raffle for a 1972 Chevrolet K15 pickup will raise funds for the organization’s work. Chris puts his outlook simply: “Life is what you go get. Not what you’re waiting for.” For a veteran who finds a team, a new skill or a friend through CWR Warriors, that opportunity can begin with an invitation to

Chris Carroll (right) involves veterans across the community through his organization.

“ I like this more than I like racing.” — Chris Carroll, on C WR Warriors

the shop. For the rest of us, it can begin by giving our time, sharing a skill or helping make the next invitation possible.

CELEBRATE OUR VETERANS

This November, the community is invited to come together for a day of classic cars, live music and family fun, all in support of the veterans who have served our country.

CWR WARRIORS VETERANS CELEBRATION AND CAR AND BIKE SHOW

Jumbo Evans Sports Complex | Spring Branch, Texas Classic cars and motorcycles, live music, food, vendors and a community gathering supporting veterans.

WIN A 1972 CHEVY K15

Raffle tickets: $50 each | Buy four, get one free Drawing: November 21, 2026 | Winner need not be present Please visit website http://www.cwrwarriors.org/ to purchase raffle tickets and support CWR Warriors.

Saturday, November 21, 2026 | 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | Gates open at 9 a.m. NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / STO N E OA K

A PLATFORM with a Purpose

FOR SHAWN RYAN, GRATITUDE MEANS USING HIS REACH TO HELP OTHERS. ARTICLE BY CHELSEA HUMPHREYS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM FURLONG

I NSP IR E D BY | L I FE + C ULT U RE

Former Navy SEAL and CIA contractor Shawn Ryan uses his platform and work with Veterans Advocacy Services to support veterans transitioning to civilian life.

There is gratitude that says thank you. And then there is the kind that looks at what you’ve been given and asks what you’re going to do with it. For Shawn Ryan, host of The Shawn Ryan Show, that question has become important as an audience that began within the veteran community has grown into the millions. Ryan hasn’t forgotten who showed up first. “Veterans and people interested in veterans, they’re the ones that gave me the platform,” he says. So he gives back. In Military City USA, Ryan’s focus on veterans hits close to home. His platform has highlighted nearby Warriors Heart in Bandera, which serves veterans, activeduty military and first responders. Ryan uses his show to introduce audiences to veterans whose names may never have made headlines, highlighting their businesses, nonprofits, struggles and successes. “Sometimes the difference between success and failure is simple exposure,” Ryan says. He understands how much that opportunity can matter. Leaving military service, Ryan says, can mean losing far more than a career. For people who have spent years operating at an extraordinarily high level, civilian life can bring an unexpected loss of identity. “It would be like taking a pro ball player’s career away from them,” he CONTINUED > NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / STO N E OA K

explains. “It takes a long time to reinvent yourself outside of the military and become the best at something else.” Giving someone a place to begin that reinvention matters to him. So does what they do with the opportunity afterward. “If you take it all and just use it for yourself, that’s, in my opinion, pretty selfish,” he says. “I’m always going to look for somebody that I think is going to pass what they got down the line.” That sense of responsibility has also expanded beyond the veteran community. After seeing the work of Ryan Montgomery, now a close friend, Ryan invited him onto the show to discuss the exploitation of children. The episode became one of the show’s biggest and showed Ryan that his platform could bring attention to subjects others were reluctant to touch. “I figured if I do the interview and they take my platform away, well, at least I lost it for a good reason,” he says. “Kids are the future of our country and the future of the world.” There is conviction in the way Ryan talks about service, but also empathy born from experience. He knows what it is to need another chance. Ryan speaks openly about dark seasons in his own life and the faith that changed how he understands them. Rather than viewing painful experiences only as things that happened to him, he looks

for what they can teach him and how those lessons might help someone else. “Redemption is powerful because your worst moment doesn’t have to define the rest of your life,” he says. “Sometimes people just need a little hope, a little accountability, and somebody willing to give them a shot.” Maybe that is where gratitude becomes something bigger than a feeling. Ryan is still building, too. He recently teamed up with former NSA engineer Alex White to launch Glacier, a mobile app focused on privacy and security. Within its first week of promotion, Glacier surpassed 100,000 downloads and reached No. 6 on Apple’s App Store charts. Most of us will never have millions of people listening when we speak. Ryan doesn’t believe we need them. “You can make an impact by helping just one person,” he says. Because that person may help another, who helps another. One person at a time. For all the reach of The Shawn Ryan Show, Ryan’s hope for its legacy is simple: “I hope we impact people by motivating them to be a better person and to always stand up for what’s right.” Maybe the measure of what we’ve been given was never how much we could hold onto. Maybe it’s how much of it we pass along.

“Redemption is powerful because your worst moment doesn’t have to define the rest of your life.”

I NSP IR E D BY | L I FE + C ULT U RE

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There always seems to be a debate of some kind or another on whether homemade cranberry sauce or canned is best for your holiday table. Whether you are in the homemade camp or the canned camp, this recipe is a must-try for everyone. It’s easy and packed with yummy goodness! And if you’re in the canned camp, you may surprise yourself that you ever thought canned was the easiest route to your table! This sauce is a great addition to your poultry or pork when fresh cranberries are in season, but frozen cranberries can certainly be used in a pinch.

WANT TO BREAK FREE FROM THE CAN? THIS HOMEMADE SAUCE WILL WOW YOUR THANKSGIVING GUESTS! ARTICLE BY PAULI REEP

Ingredients • 1-pound fresh cranberries • 2 cups sugar • 2 tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves • 1/8 teaspoon allspice • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon • zest of 1 lemon, cut into julienne strips

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• zest of 1 orange, cut into julienne strips • 1/3 cup Chambord liqueur SAN ANTONIO – STONE OAK

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1. Rinse and pick over cranberries. Discard any that are green or mushy and remove stems. 2. In a 2-quart saucepan, place cranberries, sugar, and diced apples. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. (No need to add liquid.) 3. Uncover and stir in spices. Cover and simmer

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NOVEMBER 2026

events A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LO C A L E V E N T S

NOVEMBER 6TH

Backyard Country Nights Little Woodrow’s, Stone Oak - 606 W. Afton Oaks Blvd. | 9:00 PM Backyard Country Nights happen the first Friday of every month with a DJ spinning your favorite country hits all night! Dress the part, grab your crew, and meet out back! NOVEMBER 12TH

Thanksgiving Pie & Roll Tasting Kneaders Bakery & Cafe — 18124 Blanco Rd, San Antonio, TX 78258 | 6:00 PM Take part in a seasonal culinary class where attendees can sample homemade holiday pies and white or orange rolls before placing Thanksgiving pre-orders. The entry includes a half sandwich or salad, a drink, and 20% off retail collections purchased during the event. NOVEMBER 14 TH

R ECL A I M YOUR R A DI A NCE L ad ies , it ’s t i me to pr ior it i ze YOU! FACIALS | PERMANENT MAKEUP | BODY SCULPTING | BOTOX At The Fountain of Youth Spa in San Antonio, we specialize in non-surgical treatments designed to rejuvenate and empower. From the revitalizing Hydro Facial to Body Sculpting, our services are tailored to enhance your natural beauty. Experience firmer skin, a youthful glow, and the confidence that comes with looking and feeling your best. Embrace the art of ageless beauty because you deserve it!

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EVE N TS

Stone Valley Community Holiday Market Stone Valley Community Field | 4:00 PM The Stone Valley Community Holiday Market brings seasonal cheer outdoors, transforming the neighborhood into a festive hub for Stone Oak’s talented makers, artisans, and home business owners. NOVEMBER 21ST

Stone Oak Market Days Commonwealth Coffeehouse, 20079 Stone Oak Pkwy, Unit 3100 | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM | (Every 3rd Saturday of the month) Commonwealth in Stone Oak is opening their courtyard to vendors and neigh-

bors. Come support local businesses while enjoying made-from-scratch food, great coffee, and good vibes. N OV E M BE R 2 3 RD – JANUARY 3RD

ICE! Featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa | Select Times Experience the magic of Christmas as Rudolph and friends come to life in more than two million pounds of hand-carved ice. Wander through dazzling frozen scenes, race down two-story ice slides and enjoy a winter wonderland in the heart of the Hill Country. Tickets must be purchased in advance at jwhillcountrychristmas. com, with special savings available for local residents. N OV E M BE R 2 7 T H

Holiday Shopping & Santa’s Workshop Arrival Village at Stone Oak — 22610 US Hwy 281 N, San Antonio, TX 78258 | (Runs Friday–Sunday through early December) Enjoy this kickoff to the holiday retail season featuring the opening of Santa’s workshop booth, seasonal displays, and local shopping promotions across the outdoor mall complex.

Make sweet HOLIDAY memories!

Sweeten your season with a GINGERBREAD WORKSHOP!

Bring your Creativity! The rest is provided! Each workshop includes: A pre-assembled gingerbread house House-made royal icing, ready to decorate A colorful assortment of candies and festive decorations Holiday drinks and snacks!

Start a sweet family tradition! Scan here for a full calendar of holiday-season workshops! Looking to host your own holiday gettogether at together at OTT? OTT? Contact Contact us us today today for for details and details and booking! booking! Looking to host your own holiday get-

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Tips on meal prepping for less stress Let’s face it: hosting Thanksgiving dinner can be stressful. To make this year’s Thanksgiving meal easier and more enjoyable, consider the following timeline of tips.

ARTICLE BY ALISON STANTON

2 WEEKS BEFORE Create Your Thanksgiving Menu • Print out the recipes you plan to use – this will easier than constantly tapping your phone to prevent the screen from going dark. • Using your menu and printed out recipes as a guide, compose a complete shopping list. • Double check your supply of herbs and spices to see what you have on hand. • Shop for all non-perishable and frozen food items. Basically, if it doesn’t need to be stored in the fridge, or if it doesn’t have a short shelf life, it’s going in the cart. • Plan three easy and tasty dinners for the days leading up to Thanksgiving and purchase those ingredients during your shopping trip. Or plan at least one night of takeout.

4-5 DAYS BEFORE Clean & Organize, Buy Fresh Groceries • Clean your home completely. Then, as the big day approaches, you can touch up as needed. • Finish your grocery shopping for fresh vegetables like potatoes, onions and carrots and other items not purchased earlier. • Go through your fridge and toss any old, expired condiments, leftovers and mysterious food items that no one is eating.

2-3 DAYS BEFORE Prep Meals & Set the Table • Wash and chop all veggies and place the prepped produce into plastic baggies or airtight food storage containers. If some recipes call for “minced onion” and others require “chopped onion,” label the bags accordingly. • Set the table, and include the empty serving dishes. This will help you figure out ahead of time where the larger dishes can go. Add Post-It notes to the empty dishes to remind you what will go in what. Use a clean sheet to cover everything and keep it all dust-free. • Gather all needed serving spoons and other serving pieces. • Pre-measure herbs and spices for your recipes and store them in labeled small plastic bags with the name of the dish they are for and what’s in the baggies. You can also do the same for any flour, sugar or other non-perishable ingredients you’ll use in your dishes.

1 DAY BEFORE Tidy, Prepare Dishes & Drinks • Do a quick clean and tidy around the home; for instance, run the vacuum. • If you haven’t already done so, bake your pies, or, at the very least, prepare your pie dough. • Make the mashed potatoes. Bonus tip: on Thanksgiving, put the potatoes into a slow cooker and heat them up using the “warm” setting. • Prepare the gravy. If you have a second slow cooker, it too can be warmed up this way on Thanksgiving. This will also help free up pots, pans and burners on the stove! • Set up a separate drink station where guests can help themselves or someone can serve them away from the kitchen. Stock it with glasses of different sizes, napkins, bottle and can openers and straws.

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